Floating docks are formed from a number of components which need to be fitted together securely. In particular it is common to find floating docks fitted with a timber waler or whaler beam running along the side of a series of float units and flush with an upper deck surface. These walers are commonly connected to the other components of the floating dock with a tie rod or bolt, where the same rod can also be used to lock together additional components of the dock. A representative example of modular floating dock units connected together by waler beams is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,857,872.
Floating dock assemblies are constantly exposed to water, and commonly salt water, which can degrade connection elements over time. Wave and wake action also rocks and bends the dock structure frequently—fatiguing and potentially resulting in the failure of the rigid elements used to assemble the dock.
Walers used in these applications are commonly formed by long wooden timbers. However the use of wooden materials in these applications does present some additional problems.
The aquatic environment in which whalers are deployed means that either rare expensive hardwoods need to be used, or alternatively chemically treated timbers must be employed. Both of these options have environmental impacts with the consumption of non-sustainably grown hardwood timbers or the leaching of treatment chemicals into the surrounding environment.
Timber walers also have a limited lifespan due to the constant motion induced by wave action, and periodic shrinkage and expansion due to immersion in water. Eventually the timbers employed to lock together multiple float units will fatigue and will ultimately fail. The strength requirements of timber walers therefore dictate the use of large heavy wooden beams, which in turn increases the buoyancy requirements of the associated floating dock assembly. In various applications the strength of the timber waler used needs to be over engineered to allow for inconsistencies in the strength of timber sourced from different trees.
Some design compromises are also introduced in floating dock assemblies which use timber whalers. The maximum length of a timber waler is restricted by the height of the trees available to produce the timber required. Therefore it may not be possible to construct a floating dock structure of a desired length which has float units connected together by a single timber waler.
It would be of advantage to have improvements over the prior art which addressed the above issues or at least provided the public with an alternative choice. In particular, it would be of advantage to have improvements in respect of dock walers which are moulded from settable materials and which also define features which at least assist in the connection of the waler to additional components of the dock structure.